Placer-machine.



J1 R. WOOD.

Patented Feb. 16, 1909.

SWIJIN WMM/( Cif/3M UNITED STATES Joan gn. woon, or

CHICAGO, rLLinois.

PLACER-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 16, 1909.

Application filed April 23, 1908. Serial No. 428,731.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN R. lVooD, citi.- zen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and'State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in IlacenMachines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to hydraulic mining andrefers especially to apparatus for separating metals in the free state from base material such as sand, gravel, dirt and other substances with which they are found commingled in nature, the method being equally useful in extracting free particles of the precious metals from pulverized quartz.

The chief objects of the improvements which form the subject matter of this application are to provide a separator for metals that will be more eflicient than those of ordinary constrpction and to furnish an appliance for the purpose stated that will be simple in construction and that will require only `a moderate quantity of water to produce the desired results.

Further objects of this invention are to furnish an apparatus that will be less combersome than the usuall appliances employed for the purpose, and by materially reducing the dimensions, the machine can be more readily transported and assembled, and for like reasons it can be manufactured economically and will be durable and reliable.

Among other advantages may be mentioned the opportunity of employing the machine in locations where the pressure and amount of water are not suiicient for the ordinary apparatus used in this method of mining.

I accomplish the above and other important results by the employment of the apparfatus` illustrated in the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this application, said apparatus described in a general way, comprising an inclined sluice provided with riflies and having a system of perforated pipes located above the riiiles and connected to a source of water supply under pressure, a suitable support being provided for the apparatus, and a hopper suspended above the sluice to properly direct the material to be operated upon.

I have :shown the preferred form of my improved metal separating sluice in the following Iview-s :f-

Figure ,lfis a vertical longitudinal section, teken on the kline 1-.1 of Fig. 4; Fig. 2 is a fragmentary view of the tail of the sluiceway the amalgamating plates being re.- moved; F ig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view of a portion of the upper end of the sluice-way, and Fig. 4: is a top plan view of the apparatus with the 'hopper and supports therefor removed.

Referring to the details of the drawing the numeral 5 indicates a substantial framework of suitable dimensions supporting a table 6, and upon this table are placed transverse removable timbers 7, upon which rests a sluice-way or pan, comprising a bottom 8 and sides 9. The upper surfaces of the timbers 7 are suitably beveled so that the sluiceway will have a proper inclination to cause the required velocity in the How of water and material supplied thereto in the manner to be described. The upper end of the sluiceway or pan is closed by a head board 9, and the sides 9 are connected at the lower end by a vertical tail board 9b which is narrower than the sides 9 and is joined to a strip 10 lying parallel with the bottom 8. At spaced intervals upon the inner surface of the pan are fixed transverse angle bars 11, which form riflles for the retention of amalgam, as in the ordinary sluice. Extending longitudinally upon either side of the sluice-way7 and resting upon the said riiiles 11 are water pipes 19. furnished above and below with series of perforations 12a. The said pipes 12 are closed at their lower ends and connected at their upper ends by a transverse section 13, to the middle of which is a communicating supply pipe 14, extending upwardly to connect with a reserve tank (not shown) and furnished with a valve 15, for controlling the flow of water. The said pipes 12 are approximately co-extensive with the length of the pan or sli1ice\vay and are connected at spaced intervals with transverse pipes 1G of less diameter than the side pipes 12 and provided with rows of perforations 1Gn located both above and below a hori- Zontal plane the upper perforations being placed at a slight inclination so that the general direction of the water as it flows therethrough will be towards the decline of the sluice. In addition to the system of water supply pipes thus described, I ,have provided an auxiliary apparatus consisting of vertical pipes 17, located at the head of the sluice and communicating with a horizontal section 18 connected with a water supply by means of a pipe 19, in which is a control valve 20.

Each of theivertical pipes 17 is supplied.`

with a shorter horizontal branch 2l, located just above the level of the pipes 12 and 16. rJ'hese branches are directed towards the lower end of the sluice and their extremities 21a are Hattened to form narrow orifices 2lb, through which the water under pressure will issue in streams widely spreading laterally and by reason of the contracted orifices having an increased velocity over the tlow in the supply pipes. Extending longitudinally in the sluice are a series of parallel corrugated amalgamating plates 22 suspended by hooks 23 fiom transverse rods 2li supported in the side 9. At the lower end ot' the sluice is located a vertical gate 25, adjustably supported by bolts 26 which pass through holes in the tail board 9b and engage slots 27 in said gate 25.

Above the upper end of the sluice is located a feed hopper 2S, having projecting anges 28al which rest' upon supports 2t). The lower end of the hopper terminates in a chute 30 and telescoping this chute is an adjustable sleeve 31, having an eye 32 at its upper margin for the attachment of suspending cables 83 which pass over grooved pulleys 34 and are secured to hooks 35 fixed to the table 6 at any convenient point.

t is obvious that the length depth or width of the apparatus may be varied as desired, and other changes can be made in the devices of my invention as herein disclosed without departing from the spirit and scope thereof and do not wish, therefore, to be limited to the precise construction shown.

The method of using the apparatus is as follows: The lirst step is to open the valves 15 and 20 thus allowing a full supply of water to enter the pipes, and the pressure will force the water in numerous jets through the orices 12a and 16a in the pipes 12 and 16, respectively, while the water in the auxiliary system will escape from the nozzles 21 in laterally deviated sheets as previously described. As soon as the water is turned on the material to be treated is fed into the hopper 28 and passing down through the chute 30 comes in Contact lirst with the sprays from the nozzles 21 and then with the jets from the system of perforated pipes. The action of the sprays from the nozzles thoroughly wets the material as it issues from the mouth of the chute and forces it broadcast over the sluice, thus furnishing the material uniformly over the entire pan. The numerous jets issuing with great velocity from the perforations further wetand agitate the material until the latter attains a semi-fluid state and the disintegrated mass is forced by the current along the sluice and over the ritlies aided by the inclination of the sluice-way. Proper quantities of mercury having been placed in the channels formed by the rities, and upon the amalgamating plates 22 the gold and other precious metals will be caught by the riles or held by the amalgamating substances and plates, while the water and waste material will be carried over the gate. The said gate can be adjusted vertically to suit the relative supply ot' water and material and the inclination of the sluice may be changed by varying the distance between the blocks 7 or by replacing them with others of dierent heights.

having thus described my invention what I claim is 1. In a placer machine, the combination with a suitable supporting frame, a sluicebox on said frame, and rities arranged in the sluice-box, of water pipes arranged transversely and longitudinally above the ritlies, the said pipes having perforations at an angle from the horizontal, a hopper an adj ustable chute Yt'or the hopper and a spraying nozzle arranged in the upper part of the sluice box, said nozzle having a contracted mouth adapted to deliver a laterally extended sheet of water below the discharge opening of the said chute.

2. In a placer machine,y the combination with a suitable frame, a sluice box supported thereon, means for -varying the inclination of the sluice box, and a series of ril-iles in said box, of perforated pipes arranged longitudinally and transversely in the sluice box above the ritI'les, a spraying nozzle having an expanded mouth adapted to deliver a laterally expanded jet, a hopper arranged to feed the material from above and in front of the spraying nozzle and vertically corrugated amalgamating plates suspended longitudinally above the riiies.

3. In a placer machine, the combination with a suitable support, a sluice box adjustably mounted thereon, and a series of rittles in the sluice box, of water pipes arranged transversely and longitudinally in the sluice, said pipes having perforations arranged to project the water downwardly and forwardly, a hopper above the sluice, an adjustable chute for the hopper, a spraying nozzle arranged below the chute, and a series of removable vertically corrugated amalgamating plates suspended above the perforated pipes.

4. In a placer machine, the combination with a sluice box removably and adjustably supported, and a series of ritlies therein, of water pipes arranged longitudinally and transversely above the riflies and provided with perforations extending upward and downward, a removable hopper, an adjustable chute for the hopper, spraying nozzles arranged below the chute and having laterally expanded mouths, a plurality of corrugated amalgamating plates arranged above the` ritles, rods extending transversely above said plates, and hooks attached to the amalgamating plates and removably engaging said rods.

5. ln a placer machine, the combination with a :sluice box provided with rililes, a series of perforated water pipes arranged above the ritiles, a hopper, and a chute, of a plurality of spraying nozzles having laterallyexpanded mouths, a series ot corrugated amalgamating plates extending longitudinally above the water pipes, with their corrugated surfaces vertical, a fixed tail board extending above the rii'les, and an adjustable gate supported on said tail board.

6. ln a placer machine, the combination with a sluice-box, a series of riilies formed of angle bars secured to the bottom oiE the sluice box, perforated water supply pipes arranged longitudinally along the sides ot' the sluice-box, a series of transverse pipes connecting the supply pipes, said transverse pipes having pertorations opening upwardly and downwardly, and spraying nozzles adapted to discharge the water in a horizontal sheet above said pipes.

7. In a machine of the class described including a sluice box, and a suitable support therefor, the combination with a series of ritlies arranged in said sluice box, of water pipes arranged longitudinally and transversely in the sluice box above the rittles, said pipes having perforations adapted to project the water upwardly and downwardly, a series of removable vertically corrugated amalgamating plates suspended above the perforated pipes, and means for introducing water to said pipes.

S. in a machine of the class described, the combination with a receptacle adapted to contain water, of a plurality of water pipes arranged longitudinally and transversely in the bottom or' the tank, said pipes having perforations arranged to project the water upwardly and downwardly, a series of removable vertically corrugated amalgamating plates suspended above the perforated pipes, and means for introducing water into said pipes.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

F. BENJAMIN,

T. M. PoYN'roN. 

